Turkey: Attacks and provocations under way after the declaration of “Democracy Fest”

by Mehmet Bayram

Here is a list of assaults and provocations we received as of today. We will be updating the list as we get and verify more attacks.

01:50AM Plainclothes police are provoking the residents in Tuzlucayir, Ankara by swearing and assaulting them then trying to arrest. Those who escape the police assaults are seeking refuge in nearby apartments.

00:35AM People refuse to leave the central Ugur Mumcu street in an anti-fascist protest.

11:41PM Police have pulled back in Ankara’s Tuzlucayir neighborhood, but they still patrol some streets. There are reports that the police is returning back to their stations.

11:19PM: Reports indicate that the civilian fascist mobs are waiting behind the police forces an opportune moment to attack in Ankara’s Tuzlucayir area.

11:34PM In Istanbul’s Kadikoy district where the Islamists attacked people for drinking saw a push back from the residents where the Islamists were forced to flee

11:10PM Police continue its provocations in Ankara neighborhood of Tuzlucayir. Police vehicles have entered Aktas street and is dousing the street and people with water cannons. Plainclothes police are waiting at street corners with their arms in hand.

11:05PM A group of Islamists are marching towards Ugur Mumcu street while swearing and threatening the residents as they simultaneously chant, “Allah is great!”

11:00PM: Police blocked the road between Armutlu and Sumer neighborhoods at the foot of the bridge in Antakya.

10:00PM: Police blocked the road between Armutlu and Sumer neighborhoods at the foot of the bridge in Antakya.

10:43PM: Islamists attacked a group for drinking and not wearing modest clothes.

10:23PM: After the ruling AKP supporters celebrated “democracy” in Antakya the mob is provoking the people of Armutlu by driving in convoys and sounding their horns in the progressive neighborhood of Armutlu. When people reacted to this late night commotion on their streets and near their residence the fascists threatened them. However after the residents started to gather in large numbers the mob had to pull back. Police then blocked all roads in and out of Armutlu.

10:08PM: In Istanbul, Ikitelli the police assaulted the progressives with tear gas. In reaction, people erected barricades against the police assault.

9:53 PM: Reports are coming in on a clash between the Peoples’ Front and the police.

9:45PM: Fascist mobs from the ruling party AKP drove to the Alevite neighborhood Sahintepe in Ankara and started playing old Ottoman marching music and demonstrating in a threatening way. The residents and shop keepers threw the mob out of their neighborhood.

8:42PM: The fascist AKP mob, driven to the progressive neighborhood Gazi in Istanbul bu official police vehicles to harass the residents was forced to flee. Police, in return are tear gassing the streets.

07:37PM: AKP mobs driven by police vehicles to attack the residents of Gazi are displaying Turkish flags and are marching in streets to challenge the residents. Residents protecting their neighborhoods from the police and the fascists erected barricades. Two sides are in waiting.